HIGHTSTOWN — Pat Harchik’s high-school accolades look like enough for two or three people combined.

The Steinert football, lacrosse and wrestling jack-of-all trades graduated with a 4.15 GPA and boasts a lengthy résumé of community service. His explanation for why he wore so many hats in the past four years was simple.

“I just wanted to challenge myself to the best of my ability, and the big thing was I wanted to give back to the community,” Harchik said. “The three things I wanted to excel in were academics, athletics and community service. I just wanted to the best that I can because I can,

“I pushed myself because I know when I do my best in academics, athletics and community service, it will make me a better person and it will help me get ready for college.”

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It’s safe to say nearly any activity he tried, Harchik got results. On the football field, Harchik dons the Spartan helmet for the final time Tuesday for the East team in the Sunshine Football Classic.

He played center, linebacker and long snapper for the Spartans last fall and will continue his football career at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where his high school coach, Dan Caruso, is an alum.

In the winter, he wrestled in the 195- and 220-pound weight classes. In his final spring in Hamilton, he was recognized by area boys lacrosse coaches as one of the best midfielders in the CVC’s Patriot Division as Steinert recorded its first winning season in the program’s existence, a point of pride for Harchik.

“It was one of the best experiences of my life. My freshman year was the first year of the program and I started on varsity the first year, so I got to see the team grow into this exceptional team in my senior year,” Harchik said. “I feel like we know as much as we can, and by the fourth year we really knew each other and it just clicked,”

Harchik, inducted into the Steinert Hall of Fame in March, also found time off the field to volunteer in the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, New Jersey Boys State, Relay for Life and Special Olympics.

“I like to have a regimented schedule, so it’s, ‘I’m doing this for so long, then I’m spending that amount of time on something else,’” Harchik said of balancing his activities. “Time management is a big factor, and I feel like that will help me a lot coming into college,”

Just like high school, Harchik plans to do a lot more than only play football at Dickinson.

One of the appeals of Dickinson for Harchik was that the school offered an Army ROTC program. After college, he plans to become an officer in the military before going into public service. He found himself enamored with the idea of working for the government after interning with state assemblyman Dan Benson (D-Hamilton).

“It introduced me to government, which I’ve become passionate about,” Harchick said. “I’m planning on studying political science in college.”

No goal appears too lofty for Harchik, who was open to the idea of running for public office, even mayor of Hamilton.

“We’ll see,” he said with a laugh when asked if he would some day campaign against current mayor Kelly Yaede. “That would be interesting.”

The future looks bright for the Steinert grad, but before he charges off into his next endeavor, he’ll have one more go-round as a high school football star.

“To be part of the best of the best is such an honorable thing and I’m excited. It’s for a good cause,” Harchik said. “We’re going to bring it. Looking back, I had the best time at Steinert. It provided so much for me, and it was an honor to go to such a great school.”